The Bison – November 10, 1995

The problem items are skateboards, rollerskates, rollerblades, roller skis or other recreational devices whether being pulled, propelled or pushed by a motor. Evena person using a bicycle within the jurisdictional limits of the city is a problem.
On August 7, 1995, the City of Buffalo passed the following ordinance:
The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the public health and safety arising out of the use of the items listed above. The City Council finds that there is a substantial lack of statutory regulation | of the use of such devices and that there have been numerous com- Plaints of residents of the City relating to their use on public sidewalks and in certain commercial or industrial areas such as parking lots where automobile and motorized vehicular traffic are frequent.
<T think it is very unfair, because adults nowadays think everyone is a hoodlum. We need a fair chance,= said sophomore John Goodale.
People want the right to skateboard and in-line skate where they choose.
<T think it is stupid; they aren9t bugging anyone. They should be able to do their own thing as long as they9re not hurting anyone,= said senior Frank Hessler.
The exemptions for this law are that it will be lawful to ride or propel on any recreational device in any parking lot between the hours of 8pm and 10:30pm, or upon prior approval of the City of Buffalo for special events.
<Because of limited time, you are told what you can and can9t do. _ It9s unfair because, people in cars can be out late, but people on boards cannot. They immediately think of us as juveniles. [Streets and sidewalks are] public property,= said freshman Adam Koebensky.
Anyone who engages in this activity must follow the same rules of the road as a cyclist would. If this or any other part of the ordinance has been violated, a person will be guilty of a misdemeanor and will be fined up to $700 or 90 days in jail or both. In addition, any peace officer who observes a violation can seize the item(s). A minor offender can only get the items back through their parent or guardian. An adult can claim the item in 24 hours at the Buffalo Police Station.

When students are feeling down and out, Student Care Committee will be there trying to cheer them up.
SCC is a student organization that was started ten years ago by English teacher Karen Swenson. <T had noticed that a student had been absent for a long time, and that other students hadn9t seemed to notice,= said Swenson, <so I started up SCC to help students become aware of what is happening to their fellow students.=
SCC is an organization that works specifically for the students of BHS, to show them that people care.
<We try to make everybody happy,= said senior Becca Geyen.
SCC members meet on Tuesdays during Mods in Swenson9s room, B-3. At the meetings, members plan different activities for the students and send out perks to students that are feeling down.
<Anybody can come; students are in it because they want to be,= said Swenson.
Last year, as a way for SCC to make some extra money, they sponsored a Halloween Dance.
<We had sponsored other dances, and the students wanted to try having a Halloween Dance,= said Swenson.
The second annual Halloween dance was held again this year. It took place on Friday, October 27 from 7:30pm to 11:30pm.
<Tt was a lot of fun, prizes were given away and if you came in costume, you got $1 off the price of your dance ticket,= said junior Haley Mattson.
The Halloween Dance was held for many different reasons. 8<8Now is the ttme when teenagers don9t go trick-or-treating any more, and [a dance] gives them something to do for Halloween,= said Mattson.
Many different prizes were given away for various things. There was a pumpkin carving contest and awards were given for costumes. If students brought an item for the food shelf, their name was put in a drawing. Some of the prizes that were given away were gift certificates for area restaurants, free hours at a tanning salon, shampoo and conditioner from an area salon and candy.
Some of the more popular costumes were cross-dressers, death, vampires, queens and princesses like Cleopatra and Pocahontas, and jesters.
The money made from the dance will go back to the students in the forms of perks, balloons, flowers or other ways to cheer up students.
As SCC grows, so do their areas of interest.
<We are currently planning a Community Outreach program,= said Geyen.
Later in the year SCC will be buying Christmas presents for needy children and selling Valentine9s Day suckers.
<(SCC is] a large group of kids; it9s a time for all of us to get together to do something nice for each other,= said Geyen.

Foreign exchange students9 visits to America.
pages 6 & 7
classmates.
Respect between friends, teachers,
page 4
Cross Country athletes compete in state.
page 9

News Department
Working behind theactors are the crews of this year's fall play, Wait Until Dark.
The crews for BHS include set, prop, publicity, make-up, sound and light.
=A play is like a big machine. Without each part of the machine functioning at 100% the machine will not perform. Without all individual crews, the show would not go on,= said director Tracy Hagstrom-Dahl.
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The set crew for this year9s fall play consists of crew heads, senior Bob Fix and junior Angie Poirier, and many crew members. The set crew is in charge of building the sets used in the play and transporting them to the Buffalo Junior High auditorium.
or act, but I9m good at being creative,= said junior Billy Wamer.
The prop crew, headed by seniors Shaun Dixonand Steve Frump, then takes the created set and paints it appropriately, as well as finding furniture, and in this case, appliances.
At one of the rehearsals many of the cast and crew went to the Wise Penny Thrift Shoppe to purchase various items, including a couch, easy chair, kitchen utensils and clothing.
.
<T like seeing the whole play come together [with the prop/set],= said sophomore Brian Triplett.
The head of the publicity crew is sophomore Kiara Esterbrooks. They advertise the play to the general public.
<I guess I joined publicity because I knew, considering the cast members, that this was going to be a great production and I believed it should be publicized well,= said Esterbrooks.
Sound crew handles one of the most important roles in the play. It carries the responsibility of making the stage <sound= as if it were in the proper setting.
Junior Peter Walz is the crew9s only member.
<The play this year will be lots of fun. There will be lots of special effects,= said Walz.
Actors need to be seen on the stage, as well as heard. Lighting crew has the job of making the set and actors visible to the audience. There are five light crew members and the crew heads are juniors Kirsten Thompson and Clint Graunke.
<T joined because I like working with technical things,= said sophomore Eric Zimmerman, <I wanted to do something important with the play.=
The crews of Wait Until Dark play a large part in the production of the play. They help to make the actors more believable and compliment the work they do.
By Molly Warner
Pictured here are sophomore Tia Carlson and junior Ellie Olson. They are painting the set of Wait Until Dark. The members of set crew spent many hours building and painting the set. Carlson and Olson were painting the photo lab during this picture. Also in the set is a counter and some walls.
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<I9m not good enough to sing

Choir concert held
The first choir concert of the year was held on Thursday, November 2 at 8:01pm. It was the choral sampler concert. The groups who performed that night were BHS Singers, Treble Singers, Concert, Varsity and Treble Choirs.
Band concert soon
On Monday, November 13 at 8pm the first band concert of tle year will be held. It is the Fall Collage: Concert. Performing that night will be the two Varsity bands, Symphony band, Concert band and fall marching band.
NHS Induction held
The new members of NHS were inducted on Monday, October 30 at 7:30pm. Almost 50 were inducted. The guest speaker was Superintendent Tom Nelson.
Food drive coming
The Buffalo Senior High School National Honor Society will be holding their annual food drive on Monday, November 13 through Friday, November 18. The money donated will go to the Hanover food shelf. Fifty cents will equal one food item.

Journalism Student
The International Club is an after school activity that meets once a month after school. During the course of the year the club sponsors and participates in several different events. Meeting the exchange students is an event whose purpose is to become better acquainted with the exchange students. Games are played and exchange students introduce themselves.
<There was fun games to play and I enjoyed meeting other students,= said senior Oliver Strehmann.
The annual cheese tasting party took place in the BHS library on October 30. It cost 50 cents and there were over 20 different cheeses from about 8 different countries that students could try.
<My favorite type of cheese was goat9s cheese,= said social studies teacher Gerry Bakke.
Fat Tuesday, better known as Mardi Gras, is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The club feels the event is a very cultural experience; it also shows how other countries celebrate their holidays. The most famous site for Mardi Gras is in New Orleans, Louisiana, but for school purposes, the event is held in the mall.
*
<T was so full after Mardi Gras, I didn9t eat for three days,= said junior Vince Ross
Festival of Nations is an event that is held in May where many ethnic groups of people gather to share their country9s different types of foods. More than 20 different countries are represented at the Festival of Nations.
<The food was good but a little bit too expensive,= said senior Dan Kleist
~~.
The International Club tries to help the exchange students meet students from the high school and also gives students a chance to learn more about other countries.

By Kia Swaggett
Many of you are probably wondering, "What does the Student Council do?" The main purpose of Student Council is to provide leadership and direction to the student body. The main purpose is to serve the students of the school by representing their concerns and interests.
Student Council is also in charge of organizing school dances, prom, homecoming, and any other activities they see fit. They also work with faculty and staff to help improve the school environment for everyone.
The SADD(SAve A Life) is the Student Council's committee that helps plan and coordinate drug and alcohol awareness activities. The SADD Note Council is also working with the Peer Counseling program where upperclassmen help incoming freshmen.
We are also in the process of writing a new school wide anti-bullying policy and hope to implement it next semester.

Special Education is a program for increasing independence by getting students ages 14 to 21 prepared for adult life.
Special Education is based on an Individual Education Program. This is where teachers determine the specific educational needs of each student and give him or her a schedule based on this information. Sometimes special education students receive individual tutoring, and other times they are placed in a Class with other students.
"I enjoy my job; it9s really rewarding," said para-professional Judy Loberg.
Loberg works mostly with the severely handicapped. Her job is usually to help the special education students meet their goals, starting with simple goals such as learning to become an independent swimmer.
One of the things that the program does is try to get the students into the community as much as possible. Many of the students9 activities take place outside of the building. They bowl at Huikko9s, eat out, shop and bank as part of their school day. Some even have jobs at functional factories.
"Because of the limited physical abilities of the students, we use modem technologies for everyday tasks," said special education teacher Jane Keefe.
Special education students sometimes use a push button to turn things on, such as an automatic stapler, a fan or a radio.
"I think that Special Education is important in our schools because it gives the kids the special attention that they need," said freshman Kyle McCallum.
Many special education students go to the Wright Technical Center for the Independent Living Program. Independent Living is a program where students go to a real household environment to perform household tasks and carry out duties.
The first event of this year specifically aimed at Special Education students was bowling at Huikko9s. An area tournament was held on October 6. Other events will take place throughout the year including swimming, softball and skiing.
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Photo caption: Pictured here are two special education students with their teacher carving a pumpkin for Halloween. The students do many different activities in their classes.
Photo credit: photo by Colleen Schmidt

All public school 11th and 12th grade students are eligible to participate in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Act.
The purpose of this program is for students who want a challenge and wish to receive credits for college as well as credits to graduate from high school without any cost to them.
"Post-secondary is an opportunity for juniors and seniors to partake in college credited classes, while also earning credits to graduate from high school," said post-secondary student, senior Robyn Gotvaslee.
This program was designed for students so they can have an enriched and challenging education. The state of Minnesota pays the tuition for this program. Books for the post-secondary enrollment students are purchased and owned by District #877, and need to be returned to the high school at the end of each quarter.
"Many students use this program to save money. This is not what it is for; it is for a challenge," said counselor Nick Bakken.
Many of the students that are involved in this program go to North Hennepin Community College. Others go to the college of their choice, but it is not that easy to be admitted to the college of choice. It is more difficult if wanting to go to a private college, compared to a community or public college. To be eligible in the post-secondary system, it is more difficult if wanting to go to a private college, compared to a community or public college. To be accepted to North Hennepin, seniors must rank in the top half of their class, in the top quarter for a junior. For a private college students must rank in the top approximately 25 percent to apply out of their class.
A few students from BHS applied to Bethel, but none were accepted, and only a few were accepted out of the entire state of Minnesota.
"I decided to do this because I wanted something different after being at the high school for three years. I wanted a challenge and I ultimately thought I was ready," said Gotvaslee.
Books for the post-secondary students are purchased by the district and must be returned at the end of the quarter.

The students at Buffalo High School are involved in a constant struggle between work and the strains of everyday high-school life. Most students work to be able to pay for a car, gas, insurance and to have a little extra spending money to support a lifestyle with occasional luxuries.
According to a recent poll, only one-third of students said that they would skip a night of work to stay home and do their homework.
"The money is more important to me than getting my homework done," said senior Frank Hessler.
On the other hand, two-thirds of the students polled said that they have skipped one or more days of school because they were too tired from working the night before.
The number of hours worked by students varies anywhere from six to 30 or 35 hours per week. Students polled agreed that the number of hours they worked and how late they worked had a significant effect on whether or not their homework was done and what grades they received.
"When I work late hours, I9m too tired to study or even attempt to do my homework," said senior Jenny McClellan.
There are many factors that play a part in how students deal with their jobs. Most students have found an agreeable balance between their studies and their jobs. The balance allows them to earn a little money and keep their grades up to what they consider a reasonable level. Most think that it is okay, but then there are students that can9t find that balance.

Disrespect. It happens to everyone. It comes to everyone, every day of their lives. Whether receiving it or expressing it, let’s face it. It’s something worth dealing with.

"I was just joking" doesn’t really mean anything. Someone may laugh along but the "joking" still hurts. We think about it afterwards and wonder if they really meant what they said in any way. We come home from school feeling let down and sometimes we tell ourselves, "I know that they were just joking, but what can I do? Why do I feel this way?"

These thoughts run through everyone’s mind sometime in their lives. Even the smallest insults, like being called stupid can hurt us. Everyone says that, even to their best buds. Yet we’re all affected in a negative way.

It’s not just the insultee that’s bombed by disrespect: it’s the other people around the insulter, too, that think twice. They may begin to wonder if the insulter is worth being friends with and if they’re worth hangin’ around. People may question if a friendship is worth disrespect.

What can we do to stop this disrespect? We do not want to go to our parents or a teacher and tell them what is happening. You also don’t want to talk back. We don’t do these things because we’re afraid of ruining our reputation. You might think before acting or saying something that might hurt someone else. Perhaps we will learn to have more respect for each other.

"Anti-semitism lurking around our school," entitles an editorial in the October issue of The Bison. "It lurks in the inner city and permeates small communities like Buffalo," the first paragraph reads.

Maybe The Bison has a different definition than the Webster High School Dictionary. Permeate in the Webster High School Dictionary says to spread throughout. Skin Heads spray painted on a curb and Jew scratched in a football car does not classify, to me, permeation of a community.

I am fulfilling my senior year at BHS and it has never struck me as a real anti-semitic place. Just like The Bison feels that recent racial slurs cannot go unnoticed, I feel The Bison has over-reacted and exaggerated the situation. I also feel The Bison owes the community an apology. An accusation of anti-semitic permeation should not be passed out and easily forgotten. Generalizing the whole community as anti-semitic seems very unethical as an organized paper.

A caption under the picture of the curbed Skin Heads in The Bison says, "It is hard to notice as you drive by." If it is hard to notice then how bad can the situation be? Permeation of the community over a spraypainted curb and Jew scratched in a car seems a little drastic to me.

While her peers are nodding off in Calculus or English, Alyssa Dwyer, a senior at Armstrong High School, is busy doing something a little more exciting. No, she’s not skipping to hang out with her friends in the nearest parking lot. She’s hanging out with neurosurgeons at Abbot Northwestern Hospital.

Okay, so maybe "hanging out" isn’t the right choice of words. In the last month alone, Alyssa has observed firsthand things which most people see only on ER. She has watched as surgeons repaired a ruptured aneurysm and cleaned plaque out of a man’s carotid artery to stop a stroke. She is also taking a hands-on role, working on a research project aimed at finding ways to restore function to damaged areas of the brain. All of this done through the Mentor Connection. The goal of the program is to pair gifted, talented, motivated students with mentors in their particular area of interest. It doesn’t have to be brain surgery; the thirty-nine students in this year’s class are working in such diverse fields as environmental science, musical composition, law enforcement, opera, sports medicine and politics, just to name a few.

The students attend a two-hour Mentor Connection meeting once a week, then spend a minimum of eight hours per week with their mentors studying. This allows students and mentors to work out a format which best fits their schedules. The mentorship lasts through the entire school year. Mentor Connection students receive high-school credit for their work, equivalent to two full-year classes at BHS.

Don’t confuse the Mentor Connection with some of the other, less demanding mentorship or internship programs for high school students. The Mentor Connection is both exclusive and intensive, it is certainly a lot more work than a regular high school class.

Senior Andrew Schwandt, also from Armstrong, is mentoring at the U of M hospital. He is part of a research team studying xenotransplantation, which is the transplantation of cells or organs from one species of animal to another.

Even at this early stage, Mentor Connection has helped some students know if a field is right for them. Others, such as Tracy Benson of Osseo High School, aren’t so sure. Tracy is mentoring in veterinary medicine. She loves working with animals, but has found family veterinary practice repetitive and wants to do something more.

If mentoring sounds interesting to you and you will be a junior or senior next year, contact Jenn Johnson (A-1) or any of the B students currently enrolled in Mentor Connection: Chris Willette, Erin Ecklund or myself.

Everyone's heard the expression "It's what's on the inside that counts."
Many people try to follow this "rule", but often times it gets over-looked.
Your friends are there for you through thick and thin ... as long as you dress in the latest fashion. One day you come to school wearing the wrong color eye shadow, and you get stared at and snickered at all day. Your "friends" are ashamed to be seen with you. All because of your eye shadow.
Go ahead, say it... "it's what's on the inside that counts." ... yeah right.
How about this? You tell your grandma from out of town all about your new "significant other." She gets to know a little bit about him (or her, whatever the case may be), talks to him on the phone and she's ready to make wedding plans. She comes to visit and finds out he's of a different race. Without even giving him a chance to say "hello", your relationship with him is no longer acceptable. What happened to what's on the "inside?"
Do you ever wonder why people love babies so much? Babies are natural people magnets. Whenever a baby enters the room everyone rushes to be the first to hold them.
Sure, they're cute and easy to play with, but it goes much deeper than that.
Babies are a true example of unconditional love. They don't care how much money you make, what kind of car you drive or what brand of jeans you wear. Most babies are happier with a simple cardboard box, than with expensive toys. Babies cherish people, not possessions.
It doesn't matter what your hair looks like, how much you weigh or what race you are. Babies look for what's on the inside, not outward appearances.
It isn't until we're older that these things become important.
A baby who lives in a small, one-room apartment and wears hand-me-down clothes can be just as happy and fulfilled as a baby who lives in a mansion and has name brand clothes, as long as they are loved.
It isn't necessary to try to impress a baby by trying to be someone you're not. They can see past that.
If you have a good heart a baby will love you for you, not for your possessions.
How is it we may be made funnier, cooler, richer or better than, though? When will this stop? How has it come to be?
When did we decide that we need more? When did money, looks and race become so important that they came before love?
It has gotten to the point where people are stealing, lying and starving themselves just to fit in. Even killing themselves because they don't.
We're not born with these ideals, so where did they come from?
The next time someone tells you you're acting like a baby, before you get insulted, think about it. Maybe we could learn a lot if we all start acting like babies.

I'm Darcy...

The writer of this column is extremely opinionated, and not everything written should be taken completely at face value. Due to lack of facts some of the items have been slightly exaggerated, extremely exaggerated, or made up all together.
--Enjoy.
As I sit in the dark, dank dungeon my parental units have granted me use of as a domicile, I begin my brooding:
At this moment, my thoughts turn to those of prejudice. Not prejudice against race, religion, disabilities, gender or even skin color.
I brood over the prejudices against stereotypes. I mean the nation wide prejudice against certain people due to their style of dress, family background, musical preference or even ... hair color?
Don't misunderstand me; I too enjoy the occasional blonde joke, but, in all honesty, most of them aren't even funny. We laugh simply because the term "Blonde" entered the punch line.
Unfortunately a few bad jokes are only the smallest part of the prejudices that can be witnessed. In our great school of BHS, many examples of these prejudices can be seen on a daily basis.
Example #1:
In a fourth hour history class, groups are to be assigned for a project. Student A is your standard stereotypical "Brain." Short, clean-cut hair, possibly gelled, adorned in a lovely white & light blue striped, button-down shirt and your standard all-purpose blue jeans.
Student B is your standard stereotypical "Farmer." Extremely short hair, wearing slightly soiled T-shirt depicting a country folk singer with matching all-purpose blue jeans and, of course, western-style boots.
Now we can all predict the outcome of this union. The expected outcome would be that the "Brain" would do all the work and the "Farmer" none.
Now granted, in some cases this would be true... But if you think hard enough, are you sure it would be in all? Okay, this one's harder.
Example #2:
Same scenario as before, only this time let's throw in a set from one of the most infamous of stereotype rivalries. A "Jock" (no description necessary) is assigned to work along with a stereo "Dirty" ... now think a bit ... ... It can go either way, can't it? Or maybe, they might actually work together as was meant.
The point I'm trying to make is that just because someone dresses a certain way or has certain friends, is no reason to automatically count them among a certain group.
-- Peace and happiness to you and yours ...

People's true colors valued over materials
[This appears to be a continuation/related headline present on the page and has content already included in the main article by Darcy Fischer.]

Advertising Policy:
The Buffalo Senior High School newspaper, The Bison, offers advertising to businesses and organizations on the basis that we can refuse any ad.
The Bison makes it a general practice of not accepting ads from mortuaries, liquor stores, bars, etc.
The Bison tries to draw the attention of the potential buyer so that they will not only read the advertisement, but act on the offer. The Bison assumes full responsibility for advertisements containing misspelled words or incorrect information and will negotiate with any advertiser in case of a complaint.
Letters to the Editor:
We want to hear your comments, questions, and concerns! If you want to let us know what you think, write us a letter! All letters will be printed in full if deemed appropriate by the Editor-in-Chief. Simply address them "To the Editor" and drop them off in the Bison room, A-2, or Leanne Turnquist's English Room, D-3. To assure publication of a letter, it must be submitted at least one week prior to the distribution date.
Any letter may be shortened or edited if the Editorial Board deems it necessary.
Join the Bison:
It's not too late to join The Bison. Positions are still open for staff writers, photographers, and editor's assistants. The Bison is a great opportunity to learn how to write for the future. It's a great way to meet new people if you are new to Buffalo.
Listen to the daily announcements for future interest meeting dates, or talk to Darcy Fischer in room A-2 or Leanne Turnquist in room D-3.
Suggestions Welcome:
There is now a suggestion envelope located outside of the Bison Room (A-2). If you have any story ideas, comments, questions, suggestions, letters to the editor, etc. leave them in the envelope.
Everyone is encouraged to express their opinions. Everything will be read, and all suggestions will be considered.

Some of the 12 foreign exchange students here
at Buffalo Senior High School are getting a taste, of
American sports while they are here in the United
States. Some are in sports, but some just enjoy watch-
ing or cheering the teams on.
"I think Buffalo Senior High School has a
very good sport and activity program, and there
are so many people involved," said Gua-
temalan foreign exchange student
Gabriela Castanada.
One of the most popular sports with the
foreign exchange students here in the United
States is soccer. Brazilian foreign exchange student
Mosart Mendonca has been playing soccer ever since
he started school. Since soccer is a very popular sport
in Brazil, most children learn when they are very
young. Mendonca is on the Junior Varsity soccer team
here in Buffalo.
"I enjoy playing American soccer, even though
it is different than the kind of soccer we play in Brazil,"
said Mendonca.
Sport/activity programs in other countries are
much different than here in Minnesota:
Buffalo meet almost every day after
practice or to play a game.
"After school in Finland we go
home. We do not stay after for sports,"
Finnish foreign exchange student Mikko said.
This would be a big change for
students and staff since practice takes up the
more of time.
Most schools in other countries,
Finland, do not have school teams; instead they
have city teams. The school and student participation
for city teams is very limited.
"Mostly parents just come to see the
UN games in Guatemala, and
leaders don't really do cheerleader
dance instead," said Castanada.
Some of the foreign exchange students were
amazed by the amount of enthusiasm shown by
students here at Buffalo.
Although the sports here are played
a little differently, all of the foreign exchange
students involved in sports, and most that watch,
that Buffalo has an excellent sports program and a
very enthusiastic student body.

The foreign exchange pro-
gram is a chance for students to go
to another country for up to a year.
The student will live with a host
family, go to school and learn the
language. It's also an opportunity
to travel and see how other cultures
live, and learn about oneself.
It is relatively easy to join a
foreign exchange program like YFU
and ASSE. They interview a candi-
date, and then they send them to
other countries with a foreign/ro-
tary exchange program.
A student can go virtually
anywhere, but most go to Europe,
especially Scandinavian countries,
South America, or Asia.
The rotary program is a schol-
arship, so only two go from our
school yearly.
They have to go
through two levels of interviews,
local and state, and fill out exten-
sive questionnaires. Some of the
other programs require only
an interview and a certain
educational GPA, usually 3.2 or higher,
but that varies from program to program.
Since the rotary ex-
change program is a scholar-
ship, the participants pay a set
fee regardless of where they
go. It can range from $2,500 to
$2,800. That pays for trans-
portation and administrative
costs. The local rotary club will
then look after the student by doing
things such as providing housing.
A student curious about th

It9s not too difficult to find out who the foreign exchange students are, and though many people have questions about them, they do not always ask.

When it comes to music, there are some drastic differences in styles and kinds of music being listened to in places other than the U.S.

<In Finland, people there almost always listen to American music. No one ever listens to Finnish music because it9s kind of dumb! There is also no country music,= said Finnish foreign exchange stu- dent Mikko Malk.

The majority of the foreign exchange students at BHS say that a large portion of their countries listen to American music.

<English music is really popular in Gua- temala, especially R.E.M., but Spanish music is also pretty popular,= said Guatemalan for- eign exchange student Gabriela Castanada, who is in Buffalo for a second year.

There are many variations of cultural styles in other countries around the world.

In BHS there are many different types of social cliques. For example, the <farmers=, the <preps=, the <dirties/skaters= and other such groups all have certain pre-determined characteristics. The exchange students were asked if their schools had the same social differences.

<In my school, there are barely any [different groups], but there area few,= said Piret Antsov, from Estonia.

Other students said that where they come from, there are such groups, but they aren9t la- beled as they are here.

<We do have groupings like that, but we don9t call each other by certain names,= said Mexican foreign exchange student Linaloe Lobato.

In Brazil, this system of sepa- rate crowds is almost obsolete.

<We don9t have much of those at least not as much as the U.S., be- cause we mix together much better,= said Mosart Mendonca, of Brazil.

As anyone can plainly see, there are many similarities and many variations of cultural styles. The exchange students were asked about other aspects of Amer- ican life and school and their reactions varied.

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Christina Tholl
Age: 16
Home country: Germany
Minnesota home: Rogers/Corcoran
Favorite sport: ice skating
Favorite food: pepperoni pizza with garlic and a thick crust

Gaby Castanada
Age: 15
Home country: Guatemala
Minnesota home: Corcoran
Favorite sports: Mountain biking, gymnastics, soccer
Favorite food: Italian

Dennis Schmittberger
Age: 17
Home country: Germany
Minnesota home Buffalo
Favorite sport: Tennis
Favorite food: Pizza

Mikko Malk
Age: 16
Home country: Finland
Minnesota home: Buffalo
Favorite sport: Football
Favorite food: Pizza

Mosart Mendonca
Age: 18
Home country: Brazil
Minnesota home Buffalo
Favorite sport: Soccer
Favorite foods: Rice, beans, meat

Piret Antsov
Age: 16
Home country: Estonia
Minnesota home: Buffalo
Favorite sport: Soccer
Favorite food: Mashed potatoes

Linaloe Lobato
Age: 17
Home country: Mexico
Minnesota home: Rogers
Favorite sports: Swimming, volleyball
Favorite food: Mexican

Jelena Soce
Age: 17
Home country: Germany
Minnesota home: Buffalo
Favorite sports: Basketball, tennis, ice-skating, swimming
Favorite food: Italian

Stephanie Bielka
Age: 17
Home country: Germany
Minnesota home: Buffalo
Favorite foods: Chicken patty, french toast, corn dog

Ghomas Angell
Age: 16
Home country: Norway
Minnesota home: Corcoran
Favorite sports: Tennis, skiing
Favorite foods: Hamburgers, pizza

---

It takes hard work

nt takes hard work other programs cost ),000 dollars for a year, e compared to a year of any colleges are im- >d by students who have cen such an adventure. <It gives students education that9s really be- yond the blackboard= said German teacher Maija Zeaska.

Most of the stu- dents go after they graduate, or their se- nior year, before they get tied down with ca- reers, spouses, families, and possessions. Students must be mature, about the world, emotion- ally stable, and independent. They have to be open-minded.

A student that is participating in the program right now is Jelena Soce, from Germany. She got in- volved in the program through a friend.

<There are thousands of agen- cies= said Soce.

Jelena wanted to come to the US -- specifically some place warm to bad she ended up in Buffalo. So far she has enjoyed the time that she9s spent here, although she was nervous when she first arrived.

<Everything is new; you don9t know if you9re going to be accepted, it9s new and exciting.= So far she thinks it has been worth it and feels it9s a good chance to improve her language skills.

Each year Buffalo hosts foreign exchange students from around the globe. This year's students are Thomas Angell, Mikko Malk, Christina Noll, Jelena Soce, Mishael Tarin Torres, Dennis Schmittberge, Piret Antsov, Linaloe Labato, Stephanie Bielka, Oliver Serelunnn, Gabriela Castanada and Mosart Mendonca. See pages 6 & 7 for related stories.

Boosting crowd support is what cheerleading is all about. Cheerleaders learn many different cheers and stunts to be considered for varsity cheerleading. Here members of the varsity soccer and football squads help boost school spirit during the Homecoming pepfest on September 29. The pepfest was held to get students pumped up for the big game, and to promote school spirit.

Seniors Rachel Anderson and Rachel Graybill haul clothes collected from the NHS clothing drive. The clothing drive, held during the week of October 9-13 was the first NHS event of the year, organized and run by the senior members of NHS. Students were asked to bring old wearable clothing to their first hour class to be donated to needy families. Juniors and new seniors were inducted into NHS at the induction ceremony on October 30.

Fall activities are a big part of life at Buffalo Senior High. With all the many activities offered at BHS, it is nearly impossible for students not to find something they enjoy.

Whether it be rehearsing for the play, meeting new people at International Club, or cheering on the team, students find ways to show their school spirit by being involved.

With winter fast approaching, BHS students tried to pack as many activities as they could into their busy schedules before the snow starts to fly.

The International Club sponsored cheese tasting party held after school on October 30 attracted many students. Cheese could be sampled from countries all around the world. Foreign exchange students Linaloe Lobato from Mexico, Stephanie Bielka from Germany, and Jelena Soce from Germany are among the students who were brave enough to try the foreign cheeses.

Guest Columnist

It9s getting to be that time of year again. A time when I experi- ence an almost overwhelming mix- ture of emotions. You see, I love fall and the coming of winter, but along with it come annual events which seem to make me more and more uncomfortable, and this year has the potential to be the most discomforting. Most staff and stu- dents around BHS are surprised when they learn that I grew up on a reservation, that my education was funded primarily by BIA and Wis- consin Indian Higher Education Grants, that I9m an enrolled mem- ber of a tribe in Wisconsin. The standard response goes something like, <Really? You don9t look In- dian.=

Which of course puts me in the position of somehow having to <prove= my claim. To tell you the truth, I had never learned that there was a certain way I had to look in order to be an Indian. I suppose they were referring to the lack of jewelry, braids, raven hair, and beads. But all the time I was grow- ing up, I just <knew= what I was, and never felt the need for other adornments, just as most Germans don9t always wear lederhosen. Friends knew where I lived, who my family was, and that was enough identification. It9s differ- ent when you9re away from home, I guess.

Others would appreciate more visible markers. Ironically, the jewelry and look that most people associate with Native Americans come from Southwest- ern nations which had very little influence on a small tribe originally from Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

The events that increase my dis- comfort are those time-honored American traditions of Thanksgiv- ing and the World Series.

Thanksgiving is less irk- some. It9s usually presented as a time of conciliation and unity, and I avoid comments about Indian candles because of the equally ugly Pilgrim candles; it somichow seems to even out. The World Series was tougher to swallow this year, how- ever. Every year students ask me, <What9s the big deal with having Indian Mascots?= Instead of repeat- ing my explanation each hour, I9ve decided to try to communicate my feelings in writing and practice what I usually preach. First of all, on the surface, maybe it9s not such a big deal. I mean reservations and urban populations have many more seri- ous problems to deal with than what some professional game-players decide to call their teams. How- ever, I believe it9s indicative of a much larger problem in the atti- tudes of people. <Redskins=, of course, is the most blatantly offen- sive. Consider the aftermath of the Mark Fuhrman tapes in the OJ.

ous trial. Because of one des- picable person uttering the <n= word, according to the media, we are in the midst of the most racially divided era since the 1950s. Yet, the football team that represents the nations capi- tol uses an equally offensive term for Natives, and nobody bats an eye. Increasingly, <race= refers to black and white only, and Indians simply become invisible.

The real problem is invisibil- ity and non-recognition. Oh, I know the rebuttal. Those mascots are sup- posed to honor Indians. Just as they honor lions and tigers and bears? Animals don9t feel honored, and it9s not an honor to be equated with animals. But there are other mascots that refer to people, right? Like your Vikings and my beloved Packers. But these are not descriptions based solely on race, ethnicity or religion. Other <human= mascots are associ- ated with historical figures or occu- pations or mythical creations, not living, breathing, real-live people whom you could meet any or every day on the street. Or in the hallway.

I also have to admit that I won9t be joining AIM and Vernon Bellecourt in protesting games. I think their <holier than thou= atti- tude can become equally offensive, at times, boardering on reverse rac- ism.

I know a lot of Indians, and none of them are perfect. Many of the members of my family struggle with unemployment, finances, chemical abuse, marital problems, etc. The depiction of the Indian as the Lone Warrior with a Perfect Spirit is almost as false as Chief Wahoo, the smiling, buck-toothed idiot adorning the Cleveland Indi- ans uniforms.

So, what do I really want? How do I think Indians should be treated? Look around. We9re not mascots, or braves, or warriors. We9re still here -- as students, par- ents, employees, doctors, lawyers and English teachers. But most of all we9re human. And we should be treated as such. As nuns:

Co-Sports editor

The Bison -volleyball team completed a successful season, winning the confer- ence against Columbia Heights.

Before the season began, there were high hopes for the year. The team hada strong feeling they9d go far. <We definitely thought we would do well; we had a lot of experience on our side,= said senior Gerice Olson.

A key moment during the season was when Buffalo defeated Columbia Heights. match ending in a conference championship for the home team. The fans packed into the gym and then some, the doors swelled with the stand- ing-room-only crowd.

<Winning the confer- ence was the highlight; it proved that Buffalocould play volleyball,= said Olson.

The new North Subur- ban Conference champions went on to the section tourna- ment. They suddenly fell in the first round to Mankato West.

<When Jamie [Kettenacker] went down we and we got out of our game,= said Olson.

The loss didn9t tarnish the shine on the conference champions. They had a won- derful season including wins over rivals.

They accomplished their goal of winning the con- ference. Along the way they defeated top ranked Saint Michael-Albertville and Co- lumbia Heights.

Hopefully, despite the less experianced athletes, the Bison varsity volleyball team will continue a winning tradi- tion in to the future.

---

photography
Photo by Molly Warner

Senior Jaime Kettenacker jumps to hit the ball as junior Tammy Wermager looks on.

The varsity volleyball team had a great season, winning the conference 7 against Columbia Heights.

Co-Sports Editor

Winter sports at BHS are practicing, or will be soon.
Buffalo has teams in wrestling, boys' and girls' basketball, hockey, gymnastics and slalom and nordic skiing. Goals have been set and it looks like an over-all good year for the Bison.
Last year the Bison wrestling team won the North Suburban Conference, and participated in the state tournament. They were ranked seventh in the state. The team has seven returning starters from last year.
"[This year's team] is young, but has a lot of potential," said head coach Gerry Bakke. "The juniors on the team finished fourth in the state as ninth graders."
The goal of the wrestlers is to win the conference, make it to finals in the section tournament and go to the state tournament.
The girls' basketball team had a good season last year despite their record of four wins and 19 losses. The team broke 10 team records and eight individual records.
There are nine returning players on this year's team.
Their goal is to finish in the upper-middle half of the conference.
"We want to see improvement with every game," said head coach Kristen Thompson.
The boys' basketball team is coached by Dave Alto, who is in his first year as head coach for the varsity team. He plans to make this season exciting for both the players and the people watching the game.
"We're going to turn things up a couple of notches ... Play a full court game with good defensive pressure. This team has a lot of great athletes; we will take advantage of our athleticism. Winning and losing will take care of itself," said Alto.
Alto has coached the JV girls' team for two years and the B-squad boys' team for three years.
The gymnastics team finished third in the conference last season, and sent three individuals to the regional finals. They came very close to reaching their point goals.
This year, under the lead of head coach Martha Driscoll-Nelson, the team hopes to improve from last season.
"We hope to finish second in the conference, or better," said Driscoll-Nelson. "We also want to score over 130 points."
High goals for individuals have also been set for each of the events.
Driscoll-Nelson also stated that they would like more spectators at their meets to support the team.
The hockey team finished at about .500 last year. This year the team hopes to improve that record under the lead of new head coach Mike MacMillan.
"We want to finish in the top two of the conference," said MacMillan. "We also want to have a fun and exciting season."
Fan support for the team has been good, but MacMillan encourages more people to attend the games.
The girls' nordic ski team is in its second season. The head coach is Tim Heisel.
Last year the change from the start to the finish of the season was dramatic.
"It was like day and night," said Heisel, "Everyone had to learn how to ski first."
This year the goal of the team is to place better than third in the conference and send a couple of individuals to the state tournament.
The coach for the slalom ski team is Scott Greenwood. Last year the team finished in the middle of a very tough conference.
At a recent meeting about 16 girls and 22 boys showed interest in joining the team.
Greenwood's goal for the season is for skiers to develop good technique and skill so that skiing can be a life-long sport.
"It's a skill that stays with them for a long time," said Greenwood, "You don't see many senior citizens playing soccer or football, but you do see them on the slopes."

Photo by Molly Warner
Assistant coach Scott Palmer instructs players for their next play.

season, fall athletes wrap it up

Many of the teams have finished at the top of the conference, and many of the individuals have met personal goals at sections, or landed themselves a place at state.
Soccer made an early exit in October after a tough rebuilding year. Next year the expectations are high because of a strong team of underclassmen. Captains were Josh Wolff, Jeremy Greenhagen and Kevin Bergsten.
The girls' tennis team had a successful season with lots of improvement. They finished the season with a record of 8-7. One highlight of the season was the division championship at Hutchinson, which was the closest competition, and an important victory. Team captains were Erica Henry and Alicia Bader.
"By the end of the season, everyone pulled together and supported each other," said coach Charlie Keifenheim.
The football team came away with a disappointing 3-6 loss to Robbinsdale-Armstrong in the first round of Section 8AA playoffs. The game was controlled by flawless defense on both sides. And once again mother nature played too, when she sent a misty rain to cover the field.
"There are a few individuals that have started since their sophomore years and it's sad to see the season ending and their [high school] careers coming to a close," said coach Scott Palmer.
Coaches Palmer and Chris Gmach shaved their heads, and Coach LeRoy Erickson got a lucky tattoo to show their team spirit. Captains were Robbie Holmquist and Phil Miller.
The swimming and diving team had a successful season thanks to the many athletes who put forth great efforts in making the 1995 season the best one yet.
A critical win was over Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony. The win boosted Buffalo to third and uprooted their opponents from their 1994 position in second, all the way to fourth. The Bison had never before defeated SLP/STA. On that night, many personal records were set, and many team goals were met. Individuals will continue on in sections and maybe even State.
Cross country enjoyed yet another successful season, sending three runners on to the state tournament.
"The state meet is totally different from other meets. The class of athlete is higher, the pressure you put on yourself is higher and you're only running as an individual," said senior Wade Demmer.
Senior Jenny Fiedler placed 61st and 8th grader Beth Jackson placed 19th for the girls' team. Demmer ran for the boys' team placing 38th.

Staff Writer

After a long grueling last season, and sent three individuals to the region finals.
They came very close to reaching their point goals.
This year, under the lead of head coach Martha Driscoll-Nelson, the team hopes to improve from last season.
"We hope to finish second in the conference, or better," said Driscoll-Nelson. "We also want to score over 130 points."
High goals for individuals have also been set for each of the events.
Driscoll-Nelson also stated that they would like more spectators at their meets to support the team.
The hockey team finished at about .500 last year. This year the team hopes to improve that record under the lead of new head coach Mike MacMillan.
"We want to finish in the top two of the conference," said MacMillan. "We also want to have a fun and exciting season."
Fan support for the team has been good, but MacMillan encourages more people to attend the games.
The girls' nordic ski team is in its second season. The head coach is Tim Heisel.
Last year the change from the start to the finish of the season was dramatic.
"It was like day and night," said Heisel, "Everyone had to learn how to ski first."
This year the goal of the team is to place better than third in the conference and send a couple of individuals to the state tournament.
The coach for the slalom ski team is Scott Greenwood. Last year the team finished in the middle of a very tough conference.
At a recent meeting about 16 girls and 22 boys showed interest in joining the team.
Greenwood's goal for the season is for skiers to develop good technique and skill so that skiing can be a life-long sport.
"It's a skill that stays with them for a long time," said Greenwood, "You don't see many senior citizens playing soccer or football, but you do see them on the slopes."

Assistant coach Scott Palmer instructs players for their next play.

Soccer made an early exit in October after a tough rebuilding year. Next year the expectations are high because of a strong team of underclassmen. Captains were Josh Wolff, Jeremy Greenhagen and Kevin Bergsten.

The girls' tennis team had a successful season with lots of improvement. They finished the season with a record of 8-7. One highlight of the season was the division championship at Hutchinson, which was the closest competition, and an important victory. Team captains were Erica Henry and Alicia Bader.

"By the end of the season, everyone pulled together and supported each other," said coach Charlie Keifenheim.

The football team came away with a disappointing 3-6 loss to Robbinsdale-Armstrong in the first round of Section 8AA playoffs. The game was controlled by flawless defense on both sides. And once again mother nature played too, when she sent a misty rain to cover the field.

"There are a few individuals that have started since their sophomore years and it's sad to see the season ending and their [high school] careers coming to a close," said coach Scott Palmer.

Coaches Palmer and Chris Gmach shaved their heads, and Coach LeRoy Erickson got a lucky tattoo to show their team spirit. Captains were Robbie Holmquist and Phil Miller.

The swimming and diving team had a successful season thanks to the many athletes who put forth great efforts in making the 1995 season the best one yet.

A critical win was over Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony. The win boosted Buffalo to third and uprooted their opponents from their 1994 position in second, all the way to fourth. The Bison had never before defeated SLP/STA. On that night, many personal records were set, and many team goals were met. Individuals will continue on in sections and maybe even State.

Cross country enjoyed yet another successful season, sending three runners on to the state tournament.

"The state meet is totally different from other meets. The class of athlete is higher, the pressure you put on yourself is higher and you're only running as an individual," said senior Wade Demmer.

Senior Jenny Fiedler placed 61st and 8th grader Beth Jackson placed 19th for the girls' team. Demmer ran for the boys' team placing 38th.

Bravo to the Bison
editorial staff for appro-
priately exposing and
denouncing

a rash of
-anti-semitic
activity
(Anti-semitism lurking
around our school, Oc-
tober 6, 1995). All- too-
often bigotry occurs
without key individuals
and institutions -- includ-
ing the media -- speak-
ing out against the most
un-American form of be-
havior.

We believe in the
ideals of our beloved
Constitution: pluralism,
tolerance, democracy,
and respect for others,
especially the minorities
in our midst.

For 350 years, ever
since the Governor of
New York (then New
Amsterdam) attempted
to bar the entry of the
first
Jews
to
reach
America,
our Jewish
community has been
combatting all forms of
intolerance. Tremen-
dous progress has been
made in marginalizing
hatred. Yet ignorance,
jealousy and paranoia are
resilient human flaws
that continue to mani-
fest themselves in preju-
diced behavior.

It is important for
everyone to remember,
and particularly those
minority groups that are
the most frequent targets
of hate crimes, that the
real problem lies not in
our beliefs or behavior,
but rather in the beliefs
and behavior of the bigot.

We look to leaders
public officials
and educators -- to shine
the moral spotlight on
intolerance, sending
a
message that it is an un-
welcome virus that can
spread when not chal-
lenged and ultimately in-
fect everyone.

We apolo-
gize for admittedly exagger-
ated comments,
our intent was
to bring the matter to the at-
tentionof the community with
the hopes that permeation will
be avoided.

We would also like to
note that since the editorial
ran, Skin Heads was re- spray-
painted on the side walk and
then finally covered over with
yellow paint by another stu-
dent. Many students acknowl-
edged that it was ignorance
that brought this on and sigmi-
fied that if there was more
diversity we wouldn9t have
this problem, no matter how
small

Living in Buffalo we
get the tailend of pretty much
every two years or so, We do
have a symposium where for
two days we are bombarded
with different cultures for six
and a half hours straight. We
also have minorities class and
social problems, these things
may tell you what it feels like
to be the minority or what the
difference is between the cul-
tures, but they don9t readily
explain how to deal with them,
how to be a fair and just per-
son in the face of adversity.

"It seems like we have
absolutely no representation
of minorities in our schoo :
said junior Sam Habeck.
This may be a problem
to some, but to others it may
not. Many people are open
minded and will welcome a
change in scenery and flour-
ish in the company of people
from different backgrounds
and cultures.

"It depends on who the
person is, people are
factionalized like everything
else and some people are more
open-minded than others, and
some might be more red-
necked than others," said se-
rior Rob Roos.

The way a person views
a minority sometimes comes
from how their parents view
that minority, or where they
grew up. If your mother or
father speaks strongly against
a certain group of people, you
may be influenced by this.
The way we develop our
prejudices starts very young.
Many people are open
minded and will welcome a
change in scenery and flour-
ish in the company of people
from different backgrounds
and cultures.

"If we give ourselves
the opportunities to get out
and meet people of different
backgrounds, we will ulti-
matly make an easier
transition between High
School and whereever we
end up afterwards.

"It9s something that
takes some getting used to, a
natural human responce is
to be suspicious of people
you don9tknow," said Roos.

Becoming comfort-
able with people different
from ourselves can be diffi-
cult, but making an attempt
is well worth the effort.

<People unfamiliar
with other cultures and other
races don9tknow how to deal
with someone of another cul-
ture or race, and often re-
spond very awkwardly and
that response is sometimes
interpreted as racism," said
computer lab supervisor Jim
Wilcox.

We get so used to our
safe, wholesome, Midwest-
em surroundings that we al-
most forget about the rest of
the world and it all seems
very far away and discon-
nected.

Even though the
murder rate in Minneapolis
is higher than it9s ever been
we are virtually unaffected; to
most of us it means noth-
ing. Yet we post pictures all
across town of two kids who
shot a horse.

If we give ourselves
the oppurtunities to get out
and meet people of different
backgrounds, we will ulti-
matly make an easier
transition between High
School and whereever we
end up afterwards.

We believe in the
ideals of our beloved
Constitution: pluralism,
tolerance, democracy,
and respect for others,
especially the minorities
in our midst.

For 350 years, ever
since the Governor of
New York (then New
Amsterdam) attempted
to bar the entry of the
first
Jews
to
reach
America,
our Jewish
community has been
combatting all forms of
intolerance. Tremen-
dous progress has been
made in marginalizing
hatred. Yet ignorance,
jealousy and paranoia are
resilient human flaws
that continue to mani-
fest themselves in preju-
diced behavior.

It is important for
everyone to remember,
and particularly those
minority groups that are
the most frequent targets
of hate crimes, that the
real problem lies not in
our beliefs or behavior,
but rather in the beliefs
and behavior of the bigot.

We look to leaders
public officials
and educators -- to shine
the moral spotlight on
intolerance, sending

a
message that it is an un-
welcome virus that can
spread when not chal-
lenged and ultimately in-
fect everyone.

By Maggie Pistner
Guest Columnist

"Oh, that9s so Jew-
ish!"

This is a phrase cur-
rently being heard at Buf-
falo High School in place
of the phrase-" that9s so
stupid".

Because I9m
Jewish, I felt my reac-
tion might be particu-
larly valuable to share
with the people of BHS.
Curiously, my re-
sponse is one of sadness
and embarrassment for
those using this phrase.
I understand that the
speakers9 intent is to
insult, but in truth, the
speakers are only dem-
onstrating their own ig-
norance and stupidity by
making such a remark.

Quite honestly, acts that
are typified as "Jewish"
are ones that are to be
highly emulated. Such
fine and outstanding
behaviors as visiting the
sick, respecting ones
parents and teachers,
giving to charity and
treating animals hu-
manely are behaviors
that are "so Jewish".

Therefore, to say that
behaviors are "so Jew-
ish" isreally toacknowl-
edge how special those
behaviors and the
people who practice
them are.

I would like to justify
the main editorial of the Oc-
tober 6 issue of The Bison.
Anti-semitism may not cur-
rently be permeating our com-
munity, but, ignorance breeds
ignorance, hate breeds hate
in the community -- min-

Unless recognized and faced with intol-
erance, anti-semitism
will
eventually permeate the com-
munity of Buffalo.

The way aperson views
a minority sometimes comes
from how their parents view
that minority, or where they
grew up. If your mother or
father speaks strongly against
a certain group of people, you
may be influenced by this.
Things were different when
our parents were growing up
and now is a
time to be a little
more tolerant of the people
around us. Soon many of us
will be out on our own and
will be faced with the many
differences in the people we
meet.

"In Buffalo there aren't
many people we would call
"minorities", we have prob-
ably three black people in the
whole school and basically
everyone is Catholic,
Lutheran or Protestant. When
prejudiced acts and even spray-paint attracts
more spray-paint. Unless recognized and faced with intol-
erance, anti-semitism will
eventually permeate the com-
munity of Buffalo.

We do not have the
problems that other schools
have, and maybe will be able
to avoid some of them if stu-
dents speak out against them.

Culver9s furnishes an original experi-
ence in the world of fast-food. No more or-\nange or yellow. The primary color is blue. It9s
a nice relaxing color that provides some ref-
uge in our fast-paced lives.

Visiting the restaurant on a weekend
afternoon, I found the service to be friendly
and capable, not hurried but satisfactory. The
employees seem to enjoy their work (or at
least they fake it very well).

I appreciated the unique flavor given to
the food.

Culver9s is best known for the
ButterBurger.
The name derives from the
unique flavor produced by the butter spread
on the toasted bun. The burger lived up to its
reputation for unusual flavor; however, the
meat was a
little overcooked.
The many
ingredients used in Culver9s sauces is a tasty
spin-off from usually bland fast food.

Culver9s of Bufflalo-
Home of the ButterBurger.
Good food, but overcooked,
poorly wrapped. Great
sauces and spices
Interior decoration nice.
Drive-through slow, but worth
the wait.
Try the custurd(Culver9s
is
famous for their custurd).

The most unusual sandwich I sampled
was a Turkey BLT, served cold. It not only
had turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato on it,
but cheese as well. Its flavor is one that will
pleases the taste buds. The food selection
range
is brdéad, entailing everything from
Butterburgers and Grilled Cheese to Shrimp
Boats or a Chef Salad. Of course, there is also
frozen custard. The Hot Fudge Turtle is espe-
cially good (plus it has a cool name).

In my opinion, prices are within a rea-
sonable range, although some are a bit on the
high side for a fast-food restaurant. However,
I feel the same way about certain items at
other local restaurants.

Considering my experience with
Culver9s drive-through,
I think the food is
wrapped poorly. As I picked up one sand-
wich, ordered by way of drive-through, it fell
apart. Taking
it out
of the bag, one half fell out
of the wrapper and ended up on the seat of my
car.

Not only did my sandwich fall apart,
but I spent as much time waiting for someone
to take my order as I did waiting for the food.
I had begun to wonder if the order taker had
been napping -- but the food was good.

Yes, Culver9s serves good food, but
what makes the restaurant stand out is its
atmosphere and decor.
Blue and white pro-
vide an essence of warm friendliness that will
cheer up almost anyone. Numerous windows
let the sun shine through cheerily. Ceiling
fans and hanging lamps add a
touch of el-
egance, but don9t contradict the restaurants
fast-food philosophy.

Golden oldies are played to provide an
appropriate background to the soft chatter of
various customers. Culver9s seems to be one
of the few places that has mastered the art of
maintaining music volume at a suitable level.
It9s just loud enough to be heard and recog-
nized but does not intrude upon conversa-
tions.

I would definitely recommend a trip to
Culver9s, but if you want to get the full effect
and best value for your money, take a small
break and sitinside. Take delight in the blue,
the smiles and the music. Take time out of your
busy life and enjoy.

Dangerous Minds,
a movie
set in inner city Palo Alto, Califor-
nia, illustrates the life of troubled
high school students and their rela-
tionship with an inexperienced and
dedicated English teacher. Itis based
on the book My Posse Don9t Do
Homework by Louanne Johnson. It
has elements of sadness, loyalty,
humor, happiness, love and fear
which hold the viewers9 interest to9
the end.

Although the movie is good it
only focused on one English class.
It left the viewer wondering how
these kids acted in their otherclasses.
It was unrealistic to think that a
single person on a teacher9s salary
could award her students with food
and expensive field trips.

The main character, Louanne
Johnson
is played by Michelle
Pfeiffer. She attempts to reclaim
her life after an abusive marriage
by taking on a classroom full of
rebellious kids
as
an English
teacher.
She takes an unusual ap-
proach to get their attention and
comes up with many innovative
and popular ways to motivate them
to learn.

She becomes involved in their
personal lives and becomes a good
friend to many of them. Because of
her closeness to the students and
the tragedies that seem to be all
around them, she is faced with the
decision of whether to stay or leave.

Michelle Pfeiffer fit the part
well. She
is believable as being
empathetic towards the students and
the problems they face. The stu-
dents, actors with little experience,
were well-cast
as poor, urban,
<tough= kids. Wade Dominguez as
Emilio and Bruklin Harris as Cali
show promise and are sure to be
seen
in
future
movies.

The message the movie is try-
ing to show is that all people deserve
an education, a safe environment,
trust, love anda belief in themselves
and others.

The film Seven is based on the
seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed,
wrath, envy, sloth, lust and pride.
Seven different sins means seven
ways to die.

This movie is filled
with blood, violence and swearing.
I like the swearing and violence be-
cause to me a movie is more interest-
ing if it has these elements.
I like to
see a little blood, after all this is a
murder movie, but didn9t care for
the huge volume of blood shown in
the movie.

Seven, which is rated R, defi-
nitely deserves its rating. An all-star
cast, including Brad Pitt and Mor-
gan Freeman, help to make the movie
skyrocket.

Pitt and Freeman star as two
homicide detectives. After a murder
occurs, they are sent to investigate. At this
scene, they find a corpse, and
the only clue is one of the seven sins
written on the wall with blood. They
are puzzled, but can9t find any solid
leads. At each crime scene there is
another sin written on the wall with
blood, but they still don9t find many
leads. The killer(s) must be stopped
before more killings occur.

Taking an hour and 43 min-
utes, Seven is along movie. I don9t
really care much for long movies.
The reason so many movies are long
is that the director can show greater
detail. Seven definitely shows a lot
of detail (including a lot of blood).

I recommend this movie to
anybody who likes edge-of-your-
seat, nail biting action-adventure
movies.

I wouldn9trecommend this
movie to people with weak stom-
achs or for small children.

I give
this movie two thumbs up.